#### 16.1.3 Evaluating Microsoft HTML Help

HTML Help from Microsoft does a thorough job, even though it is slow and has numerous defects.

Some disadvantages:

- Your users cannot access compiled HTML Help on a network drive; the CHM file must be local.
- HTML Help does not perform exactly as documented. Some features are missing, others have defects, and the software is no longer being maintained.
- HTML Help requires Internet Explorer 4.x or a later version. HTML Help uses most of the guts of Internet Explorer, which opens the user’s system to numerous security hazards via ActiveX features.
- The compressed .chm files can be used only on Windows systems, not on Macintosh or UNIX, because the Java applet is poorly implemented. This is the main reason other Help-authoring-tool vendors use their own proprietary Java applets to provide a tri-pane window and search functionality, which you need for cross-platform applications.
- Pop-ups are just plain text: no font variations appear at all, not even bold or italic.
- Opening Context Sensitive Help the first time can be very slow.

On Windows 2000, Microsoft itself gets around the last two problems by using WinHelp for Context Sensitive Help and pop-ups, HTML Help for the rest.

Previous Topic: 16.1.2 Evaluating Microsoft Windows Help (WinHelp)

Next Topic: 16.1.4 Evaluating WebHelp

Parent Topic: 16.1 Weighing Help-system alternatives

Sibling Topics:

16.1.1 Considering Help-system features

16.1.2 Evaluating Microsoft Windows Help (WinHelp)

16.1.4 Evaluating WebHelp

16.1.5 Evaluating OmniHelp

16.1.6 Evaluating JavaHelp and Oracle Help for Java

16.1.7 Evaluating Eclipse Help